Posted on 08, Nov. 2022

Winston Churchill was not only a great wartime leader but also a Nobel laureate, statesman, bon viveur and celebrated wit. Voted the greatest Briton of all time in a 2002 poll for the BBC, Churchill was as famous for his political career, but this has been marred with a recent reckoning on his ideas about Indians. 

The 2002 consensus maybe based on the complete denial of Churchill‘s views and actions against Indians. He orchestrated the Bengal famine 1943 which killed three million Indians due to starvation is one opinion and one which is vehemently denied by his sympathisers. Out of the six famines in Bengal between 1847 and 1943, the 1943 famine was man made and could have easily been averted. As with the other famines brought on by drought and overpricing of food, the drought in 1943 and ensuing prices of food were mild in comparison. However Churchill‘s handling of the situation and denial of humanitarian aid exasperated the situation to a larger magnitude. Some scholars have also claimed due to the fact the war effort was in its hey day, a lot of the food was diverted to the much needed war front rather than feeding the Bengal millions. Leaving millions to die from starvation as sacrificial lambs. Whatever fact begins to be revealed in the previously closed cabinet papers as they open for public view year by year - Churchill’s involvement and certainly his reputation is without doubt, stained.

Many of his most famous quotes are from the war years and a recurring theme of his speeches was the need for perseverance. A lot of these can be applied equally well to our everyday life:

“Never, never, never give up.”

“If you’re going through hell, keep going.”

Regarding society and his fellow man (or woman), Churchill had a great deal of advice:

“All the greatest things are simple, and many can be expressed in a single word: freedom; justice; honour; duty; mercy; hope.”

“Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference.”

On politics:

“Politics is the ability to foretell what is going to happen tomorrow, next week, next month and next year. And to have the ability afterwards to explain why it didn’t happen”

“When the eagles are silent, the parrots begin to jabber.”

As for the man himself, he was well known for his love for cigars, food and drink, and in particular, champagne and brandy:

“All I can say is that I have taken more out of alcohol than alcohol has taken out of me.”

Regarding his wife Clementine:

“My most brilliant achievement was my ability to be able to persuade my wife to marry me.”

On animals:

“I am fond of pigs. Dogs look up to us. Cats look down on us. Pigs treat us as equals.”

We also couldn’t resist including a couple of quotes which may well be apocryphal:

“I may be drunk, Miss, but in the morning I will be sober and you will still be ugly.”

Lady Astor to Churchill: “If I were married to you, I’d put poison in your coffee.” Reply: “If I were married to you, I’d drink it.”

Whether you consider Churchill a hero or a villain, he is certainly a controversial character who will be remembered for more than his achievements and legacies.